Woman Lost Disability Benefit Because of Facebook

Because of course, depressed people are never ever happy and perpetually have a cloud of doom hanging over them.

Welcome to stereotype-land.

Of course, she might well have been fiddling her insurance claim, plenty of people do, but that doesn't mean that diagnosis by an untrained investigator using biased[1] images is a reasonable way to proceed against them.

[1] I'm presuming that most people prefer to share images of themselves being happy rather than sad - except emos, of course, but they're just like emus - pale birds who think they look good in black.

It is a bit strange to think a insurance company would cut off benefits based of of some Facebook postings. Surely they'd consult a doctor first if they suspected something was hinky. Because imagine what could happen if she actually was suffering from depression, and had to go through all this. You'd think they'd want to cover their bases...

A good reason to make your Facebook pictures private! Live and learn!

Like people with major depression cannot even have few moments of happiness? Insurance wants you to sad all the time.

"Blanchard told the CBC that on her doctor's advice, she tried to have fun, including nights out at her local bar with friends and short getaways to sun destinations, as a way to forget her problems."

Well let’s see. She is either faking it, or the doctor is a quack. If she was on long term leave and the doctor knew what he was talking about, she/he would recommend therapy for working through her problems since ignoring them does nothing to help yourself get better.

While photographs tell only so much about the mental state of a person, she'll have to make a convincing case.

Pffft.... faker fake fakey fake. She got caught and now she comes up with some lame excuse of a doctor telling her to have fun. Really? WTH kind of doctor is that?

She doesn't get much sympathy from me, nor many others I suppose in these trying economic times. To collect disability benefits for a full year while so many can't even find a job or food to eat. The point is, her condition is supposed to be so debilitating that she can't work. Sure there's no harm in doing things but posting pictures of you having fun on a social website while your coworkers are busting their butts, sends the wrong impression.

I suffer from chronic depression, officially diagnosed and everything. I have some good moments, but my energy goes into keeping my job and taking care of my family, not jetting off to sunny vacations or going to strip clubs to feel better. If you're well enough to do these things, you're well enough to be employed.

How did her insurance agent get her Facebook pictures?! Or maybe she doesn't make them semi-private?

That's awful! You can't diagnose people based on a few photographs, especially if you're not a psychiatrist.

It says at the end of the article "Manulife wouldn't comment on Blanchard's case, but did say they would not deny or terminate a claim solely based on information published on Web sites such as Facebook." It's likely this was just "fuel for the fire" and there is a lot more to it.

It's a double edge sword. If they think you're ok they stop supporting you for temporary relief. My Dad suffered like that for years because he was afraid of losing support for his family. :(

In the USA if you are on SSDI they look at the aspects of can you perform the job you had or one of similar requirements and that you are trained for...along the same pay lines. That is why if you make a large salary and pay in more you will collect more. SS also takes into account your age when they do reviews. They seem to know...unlike the rest of our politicians that there is such a thing as age discrimination. So if you are disabled for 6 years and they review you at say age 59 they know even if your condition has improved you are unlikely to find a job and salary even close to what you had. Cutting you off would be a death sentence. You paid in at a certain level but people think you should go flip burgers at minimum wage. I don't have a clue to the situation with this woman. I do know that to all who are spewing venom you are one day away from her shoes. Most who are on disability despise being on it. It is a death sentence in itself. You not only lose probably a job you loved but you lose your financial future as well. I can tell you it is not any fun dealing with a mental condition. Most of us will lose a lot of friends when we tell them what is wrong with us. Some of us will lose all of our friends. If the woman was faking it the Dr's will get to the bottom of it.

Lol, she got what she deserved.

Depression is a chemical imbalance, often enough... which would be better solved with pills or therapy. Going to a strip club and looking at naked men is not a long-term solution for being depressed.

Too many people take advantage of "free money". I am so sick of it. Whether public or private, someone still has to pay to support you.

If you are well enough to function on vacation, you are well enough to go to work. Just because something makes you a little uncomfortable shouldn't mean you are exempt from it. I think I speak for everyone who has ever had a job when I say "work sucks".